North Atlantic right whale found entangled in St. Lawrence estuary
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CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
This tree-killing beetle revealed its presence in B.C. when it flew into the wrong person
The tiny beetle could scarcely have picked a worse human to fly into. Amateur entomologist Andrew Short was sitting on a bench in downtown Vancouver in June 2023 when the unfamiliar metallic green beetle hit him and fell to the ground. He said he "needed to know what it was," so he captured it, took it home to photograph, and later handed it over to authorities — who confirmed the insect to be the first emerald ash borer collected in Canada west of Manitoba. Short's fortuitous encounter set in motion a chain reaction of research aimed at understanding and clamping down on the pest that has devastated ash forests across North America, killing millions of trees in Canada and the United States. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. So, if that's what some people consider fate, then I guess it was," he said in an interview. Short makes a hobby of searching for insects and plants, examining how they interact and photographing them. "I'm quite versed in invasive species and what they can do, but I certainly hadn't considered for a moment that I'd ever have a run-in with an emerald ash borer," he said. "It's kind of a strange feeling to realize that you've found something that's that important." Nearby park infested A study published this spring in the peer-reviewed journal BioInvasions Records describes Short's role in the beetle's discovery in Vancouver, and subsequent findings that included "heavily infested" trees in Andy Livingstone Park, about 300 metres from the site of his encounter near B.C. Place stadium. The study suggests emerald ash borers, which are native to East Asia, were likely first present in the downtown Vancouver park "no later than 2020." Lead author Chris MacQuarrie, a forest entomologist with Natural Resources Canada, said Short was "the best person" for the beetle to have run into, even if not from the beetle's perspective. "There are lots of green beetles and people think they've found it and they turn it in and we're really happy when it's not (an emerald ash borer). But this time, it was." WATCH | Montreal forest infested by emerald ash borer: Montreal forest decimated by beetles set to lose 1,000 trees 9 months ago Duration 1:59 MacQuarrie said it's "really rare" to find an adult emerald ash borer, which measures up to about 1.4 centimetres. He said the discovery in Vancouver represents a "big jump" from pre-existing infestations in Canada and the United States. MacQuarrie said Short had the "presence of mind" to capture the beetle, which he tucked into a makeshift container using material in his backpack, then took it home to photograph before enlisting the help of another hobbyist entomologist to identify it. All they could conclude, Short said, was that it "was something that shouldn't have been here." Short submitted a suspected invasive species report along with photographs of the beetle to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. He eventually met with someone from the agency and handed over the bug, which he had frozen. After the agency confirmed Short's beetle was an ash borer, MacQuarrie said he and other researchers met in Vancouver last year to investigate. They set traps and took samples from trees near the bench. While the traps did not capture any adult ash borers, branch samples yielded 19 larvae. MacQuarrie said the closest infestation in Canada is in Winnipeg, though there is another population in Oregon. Beetles fly under the radar The researchers could not determine how the beetle was introduced to Vancouver, although the pest is commonly dispersed via infested wood. An infested tree found in nearby Burnaby last year suggests the beetles in Vancouver could be an "extension" of an older infestation that went undetected, the study says. The beetles often go undetected for years in new places, with sick or dead trees usually the first sign of infestation. The findings in Vancouver suggest there may be other undetected populations in western North America, the study says. Short's discovery has given researchers the opportunity to study the beetle's behaviour in Vancouver. It grows faster in warmer conditions, and researchers "don't really know" how fast it may kill trees in Vancouver's maritime climate, MacQuarrie said. Early detection allows for mitigation measures such as insecticides, removing infected trees, diversifying the tree canopy and educating the public, he said. The Vancouver finding has sparked interest elsewhere, MacQuarrie added, with a British forestry researcher starting work with Canadian counterparts to examine how the beetle is behaving in European ash species in the city. Short said some people think his bug-catching hobby is "weird." But it's calming, he said, slowing down and focusing on what is right in front of you. "You don't have to look far to find really cool things."
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Some pediatric services to resume at Kelowna General Hospital after 6-week closure of unit
Social Sharing Some pediatric services will resume at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) on Sunday, six weeks after the inpatient general pediatrics unit closed due to a doctor shortage. The closure first began on May 26 at the 10-bed inpatient unit, prompting a group of pediatricians to come forward and say there were poor working conditions and a lack of communication at the hospital. Physicians and the Opposition B.C. Conservative Party were sharply critical of the province and the Interior Health Authority, and the authority's CEO stepped down a few weeks after the closure was announced. This week, Interior Health said elective pediatric surgeries and some diagnostic procedures for children would resume at the hospital. The unit will also begin admitting patients to the pediatric unit during daytime hours. Dr. Mark Masterson, the vice-president of medicine for Interior Health, said the authority would be phasing in services in a way that would be safe for patients and sustainable for doctors. "We have a schedule now with consistent coverage during the days, and that's allowed us to change," he told Chris Walker, host of CBC's Daybreak South, on Friday. "We've been able to accomplish this both with the pediatricians in the community who have been [serving on locums] over time ... as well as the pediatricians who've been working at KGH in a full time and permanent capacity." WATCH | Interior Health CEO resigns: Interior Health CEO steps down amid Kelowna pediatric unit closure 16 days ago Duration 3:30 Interior Health CEO Susan Brown is stepping down months ahead of her scheduled retirement, amid an ongoing closure of the Kelowna General Hospital's pediatric unit and calls for her resignation. Brady Strachan has the details. Masterson said that the authority would have four new doctors join KGH over the summer and fall, and two of them would be arriving earlier than expected. The doctor acknowledged that some patients would still need to be transferred to other hospitals within Interior Health, or to B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver, if it is deemed medically necessary. Interior Health said that, to date, 22 patients were transferred to other hospitals in the region, and seven were taken to B.C. Children's Hospital. However, the health authority says it expects the number of pediatric transfers to decrease as it resumes services at KGH. During the six-week closure, critical care services for children, including the emergency department and neonatal intensive care unit, remained open. Only general admissions were affected, according to Interior Health. Concerns over workload Earlier in June, Dr. Alysha MacKenzie-Feder told CBC News she and six other pediatricians left the hospital in 2023 because of years of unmanageable caseloads. "It's not that there is a shortage of physicians, it's that the system doesn't exist for them to work safely and sustainably," Mackenzie-Feder said previously. In response to the physician's concerns, Masterson said he acknowledged their frustration, and said the authority was making changes to ensure doctors' voices would be heard. "Over the last while, we have been working very closely with the pediatricians on what we've been referring to as splitting the service," he said. "And so working to have enough staff available at any given time so that there are two pediatricians available to the site." The doctor also said the authority was planning to bring in associate physicians this summer, after licensing changes to allow them to practice in B.C. under the supervision of a senior physician. "This is going to be an ongoing process, and we're going to continue to work on building and improving clinical services, not just in pediatrics, but in the other departments and not just at KGH," he said.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Thousands of Canadians abroad asked consulates for help last year. Here are the numbers
A man leaves the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Friday, November 3, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette Last year, thousands of Canadians abroad turned to their nearest embassy or consulate for help in times of death, detainment and other crises. According to a recent report from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), some of those kinds of emergencies are on the rise. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, GAC opened 6,934 'consular cases,' or inquiries to help Canadians in 'difficult situations.' Those cases included more than 2,500 related to death, illness or injury, 1,500 for arrests, detainments and violent crime abroad and nearly 1,400 involving family-related concerns or wellness checks. In addition, GAC says it addressed 15,974 incidents involving issues such as lost, stolen, damaged or expired passports. 'Before travelling, make sure you know how to find the Government of Canada office nearest to your destination and understand the services it can and can't provide," reads the report published earlier this month. 'Every case is unique, and the level of service may vary.' Here's what to know about the latest numbers on Canadians seeking help abroad: Death and medical cases Roughly one in every five cases in 2023-24 was related to a death abroad, with the most cases opened in Mexico (204), followed by the United States (111), Hong Kong (87), the Dominican Republic (79) and Thailand (75). GAC notes that two-thirds of all death cases last year were due to natural causes, with the remainder including accidents such as drowning or transport collisions, and deaths by suicide. The department says help in these cases typically involves international funeral arrangements, liaising with local authorities and the repatriation of remains to Canada. A further 1,000 Canadians abroad approached a consulate for help with medical issues, including those seeking information on local health care providers and assistance in contacting relatives. GAC warns that, though consular officials can help with arranging medical evacuations from abroad, the Canadian government does not pay for the service on behalf of citizens, nor does it cover medical bills. Cuba led the world for medical consular cases among Canadians abroad last year, with 123. Crime and punishment Cases involving the justice system have risen substantially in the past year, according to the latest data. In 2023-24, GAC opened cases for 297 Canadians reported to be the victim of violent crimes including physical or sexual assaults, kidnappings and homicides. That figure represents a roughly 19 per cent increase from the year prior, the department notes. On the other side of the law, Canadians sought consular help close to 1,400 times last year over arrests or detainments abroad, up 20 per cent from 2022-23. GAC warns travellers that they are responsible for observing local laws, wherever they are. 'Consular officials can't arrange release from prison,' the report reads. 'If you are arrested, you are subject to the criminal justice system in that country.' Family concerns Last year, 746 Canadians approached consular officials with concerns about friends or loved ones abroad that they were unable to contact, up 12 per cent from the year before. Another 642 cases involved children, including custody disputes, abductions, welfare concerns and desertion. For adult travellers, GAC says it can contact registered Canadians abroad, but typically cannot share their location with others due to privacy concerns. 'It is up to the traveller to contact their family directly,' the report cautions. The department directs those concerned that a child may have been abducted abroad or prevented from returning to Canada to contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.
